How to Store Climbing Rope

The proper handling and maintenance of climbing rope is essential to your safety. To that end, there are very particular methods of storing climbing rope that will help to ensure its long life and optimum durability. If you have any questions, however, you should always consult your local sports store or climbing expert for advice on how to best store and maintain your rope.

Things You'll Need

  • Climbing rope
  • Tarp
  • Rope bag
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Instructions

    • 1

      Always exercise appropriate precautions when handling your rope. Never step on it and keep it free of dirt as much as possible. Any particles or dirt or rock act like tiny knives inside the rope's fibers and significantly weaken the strength of the rope. When out in the field, lay out your rope on a tarp before and after use.

    • 2

      Coil your rope. Take one end of the rope in one hand and hold the body of the rope with the other. Keep your hands spread wide. Place the section of rope behind your head. Reach over with your first hand, take hold of the body of the rope, and bring this length of rope behind your head as well. Repeat this process with alternating hands, until you reach the center of your rope. As you do so, feel between your fingers for any nicks or damage.

    • 3

      Lay out the coiled half of your rope in a specialized rope bag, and repeat the process for the other half of your rope. Lay the second half, parallel to the first, on the other side of your bag. Roll each side of the bag, length-wise, so that the two halves meet in the center. After the bag has been rolled into two long halves, roll the bag into its built-in compartment at one end.

    • 4

      Store your rope in a cool and dry place away from chemicals or direct sunlight and never keep it in a trunk where heat and other corrosive chemicals might be present. If you don't have a rope bag, hook the coiled rope over a dowel.

    • 5

      Inspect every inch of your rope regularly for cuts, nicks, abrasions and general wear and tear. When checking the core of your rope, keep an eye out for flat sections (called hourglassing). If the rope sustains damage at any time, or otherwise reaches its expected life span of 4 to 5 years for occasional use, or 3 to 6 months for heavy climbing with frequent falls, replace it immediately.